wait a minute. what I’m hearing is that a utility company (owned by SF in this case) should start making business decisions based upon the latest boom/bust cycle we currently find ourselves in? Wheel and deal and try and get in on the the next best great “deal”?
or should they make a capital investment that will be utilized for the next 50-100 years, financed at a very low interest rate that improves their ability to deliver service?
the people who supply MY water should be housed in a building that will remain operable after a major earthquake, will offer savings on energy consuption over a long life (to save the taxpayer money), and be thoughtfuly designed to last this long 50-100yr life.
Sounds like a good idea to me.

although I do not have insight into the structural design of either building, I do not believe 333 Bush street was designed to anything above code specified performance (collapse prevention in major earthquake, NOT fully operable after a major earthquake) but I have an inkling that the SFPUC building will be deemed an essential facility and will be desgned to remain operable post-Big One. I guess we won’t know until the Big One hits or until the structural engineers on either project can tell us otherwise.
But I hope the city of San Fransisco is able to get the water running as quickly as possible when it does occur. This is worth $200 million, spread over 50 years worth of water bills to me.

Say whatever else you want about it, this building will be a huge asset on a derelict block of empty storefronts, weedy lots and crumbling buildings. I was never so happy to see a building raised as when the former occupant of this site began coming down and I will be equally happy seeing something this nice go up in its place. Then it they would only demolish everything else on both sides of Golden Gate between Van Ness and Polk.

Obro — you are confusing an office building with water running — the water will run if the plants are running and the mains remain intact. This building houses engineer and bureaucrats that that do office work: hire vendors, write up 10 year master plans, design changes to treatment plants, inspect facilities, and hold endless meetings. They could be moved to any other office building without interrupting the flow of water.
Now if SF had the ability to print money, I would say go for it, as I believe in counter-cyclical spending — but seeing as how that is not the case, this is a colossal waste in ego-building at a time when the city can’t afford it.